


laying still

by Love_you_a_latte



Series: Marvel Oneshots [5]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Drinking, Hurt Peter Parker, I'm Sorry, Mild Language, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-27 13:50:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20047090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Love_you_a_latte/pseuds/Love_you_a_latte
Summary: Short little drabbles with the Avengers/MCU characters because I can't write a full-length fic to save my life.1. Ned realizes just how rough being a superhero is when Peter wakes up from a nightmare.2. Natasha Romanov finds her peace after years of holding the Avengers together after the Snap.3. Tony reacts to Pepper's pregnancy





	1. I've Had Worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter Parker loses everything. Again.

_MJ lay there, her body pale and still, white dress stained red._

_"No."_

_Peter placed his fingers on the side of her neck, feeling for something that wasn't there._

_"No."_

_He lightly slapped her cheek. He had to get a response. She had to wake up._

_"No!"_

_He grabbed her limp shoulders, and shook them as hard as he could. Her head only lulled back._

_"Wake up!"_

_He shook faster._

_"Wake UP!"_

_Then he stopped._

_"Please... Please wake up."_

_He heard someone sobbing as he held MJ close, begging for her to come back to him. He didn't know how long he stayed there, his aching, dirty body hunched over her lifeless form. It wasn't until his throat grew raw that he realized he had been the one sobbing._

_There was nothing he could do._

_"Please..."_

And then Peter woke up. He was covered in sweat, his breathing fast. His chest heaved, desperately trying to suck oxygen into his shaking body. He threw the piles of blankets and pillows, the candy wrappers, and PlayStation controllers from he and Ned's video game night off of him, trying to cool himself down. Trying to calm down.

"Woah, dude... Are you okay?"

He could hear Ned's voice, but couldn't respond. He didn't have enough air.

"Should I get May?" Ned said, inching closer across the floor.

"No!" Peter shouted, jumping up. "No."

"Oh... okay."

He slowly sat back down, and stared at the floor until his breathing returned to normal. Ned watched him the entire time.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked tentatively.

"Yeah," Peter replied, turning to look at Ned and releasing a shaky sigh. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry for waking you up."

"It's no big deal, dude. Just... It seemed like a really bad dream." Ned looked more concerned than Peter had ever seen him. He looked almost afraid of what he had just witnessed; a stark contrast to his usual excitement about everything related to Spiderman. But this was a part of the job Ned had never seen before.

"I'm fine. Really, Ned." Peter paused, burying himself in the blankets again.

"I've had worse."


	2. No Strings On Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha Romanov finds her peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry about this.

_I've got no strings_

_To hold me down_

_To make me fret_

_Or make me frown_

Natasha watched the rain leave trails across the window, giving her tired eyes a break from the papers in front of her. It was another report, written slowly and carefully, as required by the United Nations. Another stack of pages detailing what each Avenger had been up to, with alibi's just in case. She could feel a headache starting to squeeze her forehead, and reached for the half-empty bottle of Tylenol on the desk she was working at. Her eyes travelled across the scattered pages, receipts, books, plates, and silverware as she swallowed the pill with some water. She switched off the small lamp in front of her, and decided to lean back and rest for a moment. It wasn't often that she got a break from all of the action; all of the calls and questions and missions. But there, as the rain pitter-pattered against the roof, and she watched its drops leave trails against the window panes, she realized just how old she felt. It was only years ago that she had declared that love was for children, only years ago that she had only joined the fight to clear her ledger. And now, she was holding the Avengers together with nothing but whatever grit and love she had left. It had only been a few years, and yet it felt like a lifetime. 

_I had strings_

_But now I'm free_

"Whatever it takes." Natasha whispered. She knew what it would take. On this strange planet, with nothing but the purple mist and cold rocks to comfort her, she knew. When she looked at Clint, who was finally showing his age with the lines that cut his face, she knew. As they fought, one-on-one like the day they met, as she said her goodbyes, she knew. And just before her body hit the hard ground, her wisps of hair flying in the wind, head held back with the exhilaration of being free, she knew.

And as the armies of Thanos turned to dust, she knew they had won.

_There are no strings on me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any comments and kudos are really really appreciated!! Hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Pregnant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper tells Tony that she's pregnant, and he bolts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back from the dead? This guy. I know, I know, I haven't been updating at all, but you love me anyway.

Pepper Potts' fingers thrummed against the mug of tea in her hand and her eyes, red from crying remained glued to the clock. She took a sip of her peppermint tea, and swallowed carefully. Tucking her legs up underneath her, she placed the mug on her knee to carefully remove her wedding band. She turned it over in her hand as the other held her tea still, countless memories waltzing through her mind. All the good, all the bad. The ups and the downs, and all of the emotions. In the end, she had said yes, and never regretted it. Until now. A seed of doubt had been planted in her mind after he left the tower.

Pepper tucked her ring into the front pocket of her blouse, and sniffled as she took another sip of tea. The clock had barely changed; it was still 3 AM. And he hadn't returned. She had done everything right, had used all the right words, and been patient, yet he still left. She knew, in the end, that his actions were his own. But the fear gnawing at her heart wouldn't listen to reason. She had told her husband that she was pregnant, and he had left. 

"How nice," he had said, as if she had told him she had bought a new mixer for their kitchen. He had barely paused before announcing that he was going out for the night, barely looked back as he drove away. Gone, just like that. And she was left there, watching the clock, still awake five hours later, when the door opened. And Tony Stark stumbled back in.

But Pepper stayed where she was, unmoving, a statue watching the world pass by. He looked up, and smiled.

"Welllll! Aren't you beautiful..." He slurred, nearly tripping over his feet with each step. "I bet," he continued, letting his hand fall on to her thigh, "you're even more beautiful naked."

She sighed heavily, brushing his hand off to stand. Placing her tea on the coffee table, she grabbed her husband's arm and led him to their room.

"You're awfully eager," He grinned, pulling his arm from her grasp to throw it across her shoulders. "But, I'm afraid I have a wife to get home to."

"You should get some sleep, Tony."

"Sleep? I don't think so, sweetheart. You see," he stopped in his path, and grabbed her by her shoulders. When she turned to look at him, she kept her face in check. Until she saw the tears in his eyes.

"I'm gonna be a father." His smile was huge, albeit lopsided, and the tears kept coming.

"Sleeping isn't an option. Wine, however, is."

"Oh, Tony..." Pepper found a small smile making it's way across her exhausted features. "I know."

"You do? Did Pepper tell you? It's only been a few hours and she's already told people without me!" He was visibly distressed.

"No, just a feeling," Pepper said softly. "Now let's get you to bed."

By the time she managed to maneuver Tony in his drunken state to bed, his eyelids were hanging low. She began tucking him in, and moved to place a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Do you think I'll be a good dad?" He asked sleepily, already drifting off. She froze.

"What?" But he never responded. Sleep had finally claimed him. 

Pepper kissed him again, and moved to the door. Before she left, she looked back at him, sound asleep. And turned out the light. 

With a sigh, she cleaned her mug, and put it back in its cupboard above the sink in their extravagant, modern kitchen. Her hands fell on the rim of the sink as her eyes wandered to the picture frame that sat in one of the room's many windows. It was her and Tony on their wedding day, all smiles and loving looks, standing in front of a massive willow tree. Tony was looking at her as if nothing else mattered. As if even the cameras that he so loved were non-existent.

She reached into the front pocket of her blouse, removing her wedding band, watching the way it's diamonds caught the light. And she put it back on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note to the lovely people who follow my works: I'm so sorry that I've been semi-dormant with my writing. It's been a very busy month, and I was just sick. Also, I've run out of inspiration a bit. Sorry!

**Author's Note:**

> As usual, ANY comments are greatly appreciated. They give me the motivation to continue writing. I'm open to feedback!  
Thanks for reading lovelies!


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